Breech-loading firearm.



Patented Aug. 20,1901. K

f No. 630,973.

E. GRAVES. BREEGH LOADING FIBEABM.

(Appl tonld-Ma 9 1901) (No Model.)

l, y .NJW U onms Farms co. Pnouumo wnsumuau u c f UNrTEn STATES PATENT OEETCEJ EARL GRAVES, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ABRAHAM MYERS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

BREECH-LOADING FIREARNI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,973, dated August 20, 1901.

Application filed March 9,1901. 'Serial No. 50.492. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL GRAVES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kokomo, in the county of Howard and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Breech-Loading Firearm, of which the following is a speciication.

The invention relates to improvements in breech-loading firearms.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of breech-loading firearms, more especially single-shot rifles and guns, and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive one which will be easy to take apart and safe to load and which will possess great strength and durability to enable it to be safely constructed of any size and to also enable high explosives to be employed without liability of blowing out the breech-block or otherwise injuring the firearm.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, of abreechloading rearm constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a similar view, the sleeve being swung laterally for extracting an empty shell on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig 4 is a partial plan view, the sleevebeing at the limit of its lateral movement. Fig. is a detail view of the extractor.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in allthe iigures of the drawings.

l designates a breech-block designed to be rigidly connected in any suitable manner with one of the side plates of the receiver or casing for the reception of the action of the gun, which may be of any desired construction and which does not constitute a part of the present invention. The breech-block is provided with an integral rounded pin 2, forming a pivot for a laterally-movable sleeve 3, which is adapted, as hereinafter explained, to be swung laterally in either direction for exposing the rear end of the barrel 4, which is mounted in an opening of the upper portion of the sleeve, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l of the accompanying drawings, and which may be secured to the same in any suitable manner. The pin 2, which pivots the sleeve, extends entirely through the latter, and the breech-block is provided at opposite sides with recesses 5, forming convex faces 6, and providing continuations of the side faces of the pin 2 for supporting an extractor 7 when the latter is extended rearward beyond the barrel, as hereinafter explained. The extractor, which is located above the pin 2 when the parts are arranged for firing, is received within a longitudinal groove 8 and consists of a straight body portion dovetailed in cross-section and presenting downwardly-converging' side faces, and the said groove 8 is also dovetailed to conform to the configuration of the extractor. The extractor is provided at its rear end with an upwardly-extending engaging portion 10, recessed to receive the projecting rim of a cartridge 11, and rigid with the straight body portion, whereby the extractor is eifectually prevented from becoming accidentally jarred out of engagement with the cartridge. The front end of the extractor is provided with a depending lug 12, arranged in a groove 13 of the pin, and the said groove, which is curved, forms inclined cam-faces at each side of the pin, whereby when the sleeve is swung laterally in either direction the extractor will be reciprocated a considerable distance beyond the rear end of the barrel and the rear end of the sleeve to cause the cartridge to protrude sufficiently to enable the same to be readily grasped and conveniently removed by the operator. After the gun has been fired the sleeve is swung laterally in either direction the full extent of its movement, which carries it to the position illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. This causes the cartridge, or rather the empty shell, to project a considerable distance beyond the front edge of the breech-block. The sleeve is then swung upward until the projecting portion of the empty shell strikes the adjacent side face of the breech-block. This movement returns the extractor to practically its normal position, and the empty shell is then in convenient position to be readily removed. Also the gun may be loaded with` perfect safety from this position, as it is not cocked and there is no liability of the firing- ICO pin 14 being accidentally projected against the cartridge. The cam-groove extends across the top of the pin 2, and the cam edges may extend any desired distance to cause the empty shell to project more or less from the rear end of the barrel when the extractor is reciprocated,as above explained. The breechblock is provided above the pin with beveled side faces 15, which are adapted to cam the cartridge into the breech when the sleeve is closed or brought in alinement with the breech-block. The depending stud 12 at the front of the extractor is rounded to enable it to move freely in the cam-groove, and the extensions 6 of the side faces of the pin 2 support the extractor when it is in its extended position. The side recesses form lower shoulders 16, which serve as stops arranged to be engaged by the extractor when the same is extended, thus limiting the lateral movement of the sleeve.

The pin 2 is provided at its frontend with a threaded socket for the reception of a screw 17, preferably provided with a milled head and having an aperture 18 to enable a tool to be readily inserted in it for turning the screw, should it be necessary. The head of the screw engages a washer 19, which extends beyond the pin for retaining the sleeve on the same. By means of the screw the gun may be readily taken apart and the parts may be quickly assembled, and convenient access is thereby had to the same for cleaning and other purposes.

The firing-pin 14 is preferably held retracted by a coiled spring 20, arranged on a reduced portion of the front end of the firingpin and interposed between the shoulder formed by such reduction and a shoulder of the interior of the breech-block. The movement of the firing-pin is limited by a pin 21, disposed transversely of the breech-block and received within a recess of the tiring-pin.

The sleeve is locked in its closed position in alinement with the breech block by a breech-lock 22, consisting of a straight bar pivoted between its ends bya transverse pin 23 and extending beyond the front and rear edges of the breech-block. The front end of the breech-lock engages a recess 24 of the sleeve, and the rear end is preferably roughcned at its upper face to enable it to be readily engaged and depressed by the operator. The breech-lock is held in engagement with the sleeve by a coiled spring 25, arranged in the groove or recess in which the breech-lock is pivotally mounted and interposed between the bottom of the groove or recess and the lower face of'the rear portion of the lock. The upper face of the sleeve is rounded and is adaptedwhen the sleeve is brought to its closed position to automatically raise the front portion of the breech-lock and pass under the same. The breech-lock will automatically engage the recess 24 and will securely hold the sleeve against lateral movement While the gun is being fired.

ai-30,973 sin It will be seen that the firearm is exceed.-` 3l ingly simple and inexpensive in construction, a that it possesses great strength and dura-1 bility, and that while the improvements are applicable to Shotguns and rifles it will enable them to be constructed of any size and to use high explosives with perfect safety and without liability of blowing out the breech-block or otherwise injuring the firearm. It will also be apparent that the gun may be readily taken down for cleaning or for any dother purpose and that the parts may be quickly assembled. Furthermore, it will be seen that the firearm may be loaded with perfect safety, as it is not cocked during the operation of loading, and that the empty shell forms a stop for limiting the upward movement of the sleeve for holding the parts in convenient position for removing the empty shell and inserting a cartridge.

What I claim is- 1. In a irearm,the combination ofa breech-l block having a pivot-pin provided with acamgroove, a sleeve arranged on the pin and adapted to oscillate, a breech-block having a curved face forminga continuation of the adjacent face of the pin, said breech-blocl-be;

ing also provided with a stop, and an ex" tractor carried by the sleeve and engaging the cam-groove and arranged, when extended, to be supported bythe curved face of the breechblock and to engage the stop, substantially as described.

2. In a firearm, the combination of a breechblock provided at opposite sides with curved faces and having stop-shoulders at the bottomsof the same, a pin extending from the breech-block, a sleeve mounted on the pin and adapted to oscillate in either direction, an extractor carried by the sleeve and arranged to be supported by the curved faces of the breech-block and adapted to engage the said shoulders, and means for reciprocating the extractor when the sleeve is oscillated, substantially as described.

3. In a firearm, the combination of abreechblock provided at opposite sides with curved faces and having shoulders at the bottoms thereof and provided'at the tops of the same with beveled faces, a pin mounted on the breech-block and having its side faces forming continuatious of the said curved faces,a sleeve mounted on the pin and adapted to oscillate in either direction, and a reciprocating extractor' carried by the sleeve and supported when extended by the curved faces of the breech-block and adapted to engage the said shoulders'and arranged to be moved inward by the beveled faces, substantially as de- 'scribed In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto alixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EARL GRAVES.

Witnesses:

IKE MYERS, MINNIE LEACHMAN.

IOC

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